Thursday, April 7, 2011

FYI: 3rd Cir Allows Diversity Jurisdiction for TCPA Claims Under CAFA

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently held that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"), 47 U.S.C. § 227(b), does not require exclusive state court jurisdiction, and does not preclude putative TCPA class actions from being brought in federal court pursuant to diversity jurisdiction under CAFA.

A copy of the opinion is available at: http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/opinarch/093105p.pdf

This matter came before the Court as a consolidated appeal involving three putative class actions brought under the TCPA.  The putative class plaintiffs in all cases contended that the various district courts had erred by dismissing the cases for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. 

As you may recall, the TCPA makes it illegal "to use any telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other device to send, to a telephone facsimile machine, an unsolicited advertisement" subject to certain statutory exceptions.  There are separate provisions for private parties and state attorneys general bringing claims under the statute.  The private right of action provides in pertinent part that an individual may bring an action "if otherwise permitted by the laws or rules of court of a State, [to] bring in an appropriate court of that State" to recover damages of "at least $500 per unsolicited fax."

In the Court's previous decision in ErieNet, Inc. v. Velocity Net, Inc., 156 F.3d 513 (3d Cir. 1998), the Third Circuit held that Congress "intended to divest federal courts of federal question jurisdiction over individual TCPA claims."  This is the majority rule, as only the Sixth and Seventh Circuits allow federal questions jurisdiction for TCPA cases.

In the instant matter the Court noted that diversity jurisdiction was conferred on the federal courts under 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d), an amendment to the Class Action Fairness Act.  The Court found that historically diversity jurisdiction had "an expansive nature and straightforward applicability,"  and that diversity jurisdiction is "presumed to exist for all causes of action so long as the statutory requirements are satisfied."  Thus, the Court held that federal courts have diversity jurisdiction over putative TCPA class actions that meet CAFA's requirements.  This is the majority rule also.

In addition, two of the lower courts applied the New York state law generally precluding class actions for statutory penalties to hold that the $5MM CAFA amount in controversy requirement had not been met.  The Third Circuit reversed, holding that the New York state law does not apply to federal statutes, and in any event Fed. R. Civ. P. 23 controls in federal courts (citing the U.S. Supreme Court's opinion in Shady Grove Orthopedic Ass'n, P.A. v. Allstate Insurance Co.).

Also, another of the lower courts held that diversity jurisdiction under CAFA did not apply, as the putative class plaintiff in that action could not achieve class certification under Rule 23.  In particular, the lower court held that there were too many "crucial factual determinations to be made with respect to claims and defenses that will vary from party to party, in particular, consent to receive faxes and the existence of a prior business relationship with defendant," and that the superiority requirement was not met because the  "individual recovery scheme contemplated by the TCPA – which allows individuals to recover $500 to $1500 per violation when their actual losses from receiving unwanted faxes are slight by comparison – already contains a punitive element that both deters potential violators and motivates individuals to file claims."  Noting that no motion for class certification had yet been filed, the Third Circuit held that this ruling was improperly premature.

 
 
Ralph T. Wutscher
Kahrl Wutscher LLP
The Loop Center Building
105 W. Madison Street, 18th Floor
Chicago, Illinois  60602
Direct:  (312) 551-9320 
Fax:  (312) 284-4751
Mobile:  (312) 493-0874
Email:  RWutscher@kw-llp.com
http://www.kw-llp.com

 
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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

FYI: DC Cir Dissolves Stay of FRB's LO Compensation Rule

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit entered the attached order dissolving the administrative stay of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System's ("FRB") final loan officer compensation rule. 

The Court held that the appellants did not satisfy the stringent standards required for a stay pending appeal. The Court also issued the attached scheduling order.

 
As the administrative stay is now dissolved, the FRB's final loan officer compensation rule is now in force.
 

Ralph T. Wutscher
Kahrl Wutscher LLP
The Loop Center Building
105 W. Madison Street, 18th Floor
Chicago, Illinois  60602
Direct:  (312) 551-9320 
Fax:  (312) 284-4751
Mobile:  (312) 493-0874
RWutscher@kw-llp.com
http://www.kw-llp.com


NOTICE:  We do not send unsolicited emails.  If you received this email in error, or if you wish to be removed from our update distribution list, please simply reply to this email and state your intention.  Thank you.

Our updates are available on the internet, in searchable format, at: http://updates.kw-llp.com

 
________________________________

From: Ralph Wutscher [mailto:rwutscher@kahrlwutscherllp.com]
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 8:14 AM
To: Ralph Wutscher
Cc: socaloffice@kw-llp.com; dcoffice@kw-llp.com; Chicago Office
Subject: FYI: Implementation of FRB's LO Compensation Rule Stayed



The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied the motions of the National Association of Independent Housing Professionals, Inc. ("NAIHP") and the National Association of Mortgage Brokers ("NAMB") for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to enjoin the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("FRB") from implementing the loan officer compensation rule, effective on April 1, 2011, that restricts certain compensation practices of loan originators relating to mortgage loans.  A copy of the District Court's Opinion is attached.

As you may recall, in their consolidated actions against the FRB, the NAMB and NAIHP allege that the FRB exceeded its authority under the Truth in Lending Act ("TILA") and the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act ("HOEPA") in promulgating the loan officer compensation rule.  Alternatively, the trade groups assert, if the FRB did have authority to issue the final rule, the final rule is arbitrary and capricious.

Following the denial of their requests for a TRO and preliminary injunction in the lower court, the trade groups appealed the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.  The trade groups also filed an emergency motion for expedited relief and emergency motion to stay implementation of final rule pending appeal.

The DC Circuit ordered that the implementation of the final rule under review in the consolidated cases be stayed pending further order of the Court, in order to provide "sufficient opportunity to consider the merits of the motions for emergency relief."  The Court specifically noted that the stay "should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of those motions."  A copy of the Circuit Court's Order is also attached.

The DC Circuit set a briefing schedule on the motions.  The FRB must file a combined response to both motions by 12:00 noon, Monday, April 4, 2011.  The trade groups were allowed until 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 5, 2011.

Thus, implementation of the loan officer compensation rule is stayed at least until April 5, 2011.
 

Ralph T. Wutscher
Kahrl Wutscher LLP
The Loop Center Building
105 W. Madison Street, 18th Floor
Chicago, Illinois  60602
Direct:  (312) 551-9320 
Fax:  (312) 284-4751
Mobile:  (312) 493-0874
RWutscher@kw-llp.com
http://www.kw-llp.com


NOTICE:  We do not send unsolicited emails.  If you received this email in error, or if you wish to be removed from our update distribution list, please simply reply to this email and state your intention.  Thank you.

Our updates are available on the internet, in searchable format, at: http://updates.kw-llp.com